Iron absorption Inhibitors

Iron rich vegetables( non-heme iron)

It’s very important to have knowledge about the edibles which can inhibit the Iron absorption.

May be we know the importance of iron in human health and eating foods which are containing Iron, but many of us don’t know that there are inhibitors which can hinder your effort of iron absorption from food, by interfering in iron absorption process.

Especially if you are vegetarian and only depend on non-heme iron, you have to be more careful.

 Non-heme iron (non- animal food source) can be absorbed only 2-7% whereas heme iron (animal food source) absorption in human body is 15-30%.

List of inhibitors which could decrease absorption of non-heme iron:

No coffee or tea with food

Tannins (found in tea), calcium, polyphenols, and phytates (found in legumes and whole grains).

• Chlorogenic acid, a polyphenol found in coffee, and coffee-based tannins both bind to iron, and inhibit the iron absorption by the small intestine.
• Drinking coffee with your meal could reduce iron absorption by 50 % and drinking Tea can reduce by 60% of iron absorption according to the research of Colorado University.
• Don’t drink tea or coffee along with or right away after your meal.
• This interference is far more pronounced with non-heme iron.
• Keep a 2 hour gap between coffee or tea and food.
• Eat your meal with citrus fruits or with their juice contains citric acid such as lemon or orange, which enhance non-heme iron absorption. 

  

  Cola drink with food

• Don’t drink cola drinks with your non-heme food because the phosphates in cola drink decrease iron absorption drink orange juice instead, not apple juice because Phenolic acid in apples inhibit iron absorption form a meal.
• Some proteins found in soybeans and phytates (found in legumes and whole grains) also inhibit non-heme iron absorption, so if you are eating non-heme iron rich food, don’t eat them with tofu or any other bean source or legumes together. Consume them separately.
• If you eat animal product then consume legumes and whole grains with them,  if you are vegan or vegetarian eat them separately.
• Calcium is an iron inhibitor of iron absorption. Don’t take iron and calcium supplements together or don’t take iron supplements with milk or yogurt, take with orange juice.
• Antacids have calcium contents so be careful about taking antacid.
• Cocoa is iron inhibitor.



Rosemary and Mint

• The herbs contain polyphenol such as peppermint, rosemary, and chamomiles are inhibitors of Iron absorption.  
• Polyphenol is an antioxidant which have benefits to fight against free radical but they are iron inhibitor.
• Don’t take the supplement which is containing calcium, Zinc, magnesium and copper with Iron supplement or with non-heme meal, make a gap of 1 hour in between them.
• To stay healthy calcium, Zinc, magnesium and copper you need, so don’t cut them just keep a gap between them. 



Produce omega-3 fatty acids enriched eggs by using fish oil: Studies on the Possibility of Using Fish Oil in Layers Diet to Get N-3 Fatty Acids Enriched Eggs with Low Cholesterol Content

• Egg protein is an inhibitor which inhibits iron absorption, so don’t eat them with non-heme iron containing food, (exception eggs enriched with n-3 fatty acids).
• Research has found that healthy, iron sufficient weanling infants (drinking n-3 fortified formula) or 6-month-old babies eating egg yolks from eggs enriched with n-3 fatty acids ate for 6 months their iron status was as similar as before, they started eating.
• Research shows that people absorb much less iron from bread when their meals include egg protein, tea, peppermint, chamomile, or coffee.